The 18-year-old youth in Thiruvananthapuram, currently under treatment for Amoebic meningoencephalitis in Government Medical College here, has been tested positive for Acanthamoeba, one of the free-living amoebae (FLA) which causes infection in humans.

He sought treatment in a private hospital at Kanjiramkulam for fever, headache and giddiness on August 18. As his condition worsened, he was shifted to another hospital in Neyyatinkara from where he was shifted to a private hospital in the city. CSF wet mount examination did not show presence of trophozoites and samples were sent for PCR test in Coimbatore. This came back positive, and an Acanthamoeba infection was confirmed. The boy is being administered with miltefosine and his condition is presently stable, officials said.

Preliminary investigation indicated that the youth along with six others went for swimming in the pool managed by the District Tourism Promotion Council at Akkulam tourism village on August 16. He dove and swam in the pool without the nose clip, according to the case report. The health officials are trying to find out if the youth was exposed to any other water source. Six other youths who were with the patient have not shown any symptoms so far.

The district now has 9 active cases. Two deaths were reported in Thiruvananthapuram because of Amoebic meningoencephalitis in 2025. The officials said that both these patients had comorbidities. While one patient had a history of exposure to water source, another patient suffered from kidney-related ailments and was alcoholic. In 2024, 20 cases were reported in Thiruvananthapuram and clustering was confirmed in seven cases.

With the 18-year-old youth testing positive for the disease, the authorities have instructed the DTPC to do a thorough cleaning of the pool before it is opened to the public again. Water samples have been collected and sent to the public health lab for PCR analysis. The test results are likely to be out in two days. DTPC has closed the pool for maintenance works. Acanthamoeba had earlier been confirmed in Amoebic meningoencephalitis cases in Thiruvananthapuram.

Analysis of diagnosis results available with the Directorate of Health services shows that Naeglaria Fowleri was the causative microbe which caused infections in four cases reported in Malappuram, Thrissur and Alappuzha between 2019 and 2023. In 2024, Naegleria Fowleri, Vermamoeba Vermicularis and Acanthamoeba were detected in patients in Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Kollam, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Thrissur. Officials said that among the cases detected in Thiruvananthapuram, infections were traced to pipe water also.